Friday Reflections is all about reflecting on the week by observing our senses. My hope is that this will be a gentle, easy way to tune into how we are doing and what we are experiencing weekly when journaling in general can feel so daunting.

Now, for this week’s Friday Reflections (with each sense as your inspiration, consider how experiencing it impacted your week).

hearing :: Happy express displeasure with his curls because a little boy made fun of them (and then tried to explore them by putting his fork in Happy’s hair; sometimes there are just no words) so we’re practicing “don’t listen to the one” and loving ourselves no matter what anyone says. Body image/self-esteem work is totally relevant with boys, too, and you can never start too early! Here’s to raising strong boys and girls who are certain enough in themselves that they don’t doubt who they are AND who do not create doubt in others!

smelling :: a yummy Be Amazing candle from Target. This tangerine and fresh bergamont (I should go Goggle bergamont now) is perfect for summer.

seeing :: amazing artists celebrate Latino arts in Charlotte at this year’s Con A de Arte event. I was so inspired by this event and so humbled to be honored as the Leading Latino Artist this year (I had to fight the urge to say, “you know I write non-fiction, right?” when they let me know I won this award because I was so, so stunned). I was able to share some remarks when I accepted the award and I thought I would excerpt my remarks here today:

Being an artist is an incredible privilege. That what we do can touch, inform and change people is an awesome responsibility. There are those who don’t understand the power of art, who just don’t get it. But all they are able to see is the paint on the canvas, the words on the page, the flick of the wrist.

There are moments—when I see a gorgeous dance being performed or the curve of a woman’s lip in a portrait or hear the haunting lyrics to a song—where art moves me to tears. “Why are you crying”, my husband or son might ask, “it is not sad.”

And what I have to tell them is that it isn’t sad at all but it overwhelms me- in the best possible way- to see what the human mind can conceive and what the human body can do.

Art gives me hope. It is protest and peace song, celebration and grief, illumination and clarification all at once. Thank you for doing what you do and for believing in what I do. It is my great honor to walk alongside each one of you.

feeling :: really inspired by my Passion. Purpose. Plunge retreat clients. I worked with three of them this week– all in different stages of their journeys- and I am thrilled for them and what they are exploring and also so personally inspired.

One response to “Friday Reflections”

hearing: Delight telling me a racist comment from another girl, and asking me what it means. It made me so sad. I cannot believe that this girl knows what she says – or does she only want to provoke, like saying cuss words? It was once again the opportunity to speak together about difference as mutual enrichment.
Also hearing from Delight’s fear from the hospital, though she doesn’t need to go. The topic is present at her Kindergarten, and it is so abstract for her, so threatening. So a good discussion about hospitals helping people, Delight having had surgery but not remembering, and for the first time Delight noticed my big scar on the knee – and the way I am totally comfortable with it, not fearing to speak about it or to wear skirts.

smelling: freshly cut grass and wild flowers.

seeing: Delight and Enjoy playing, laughing and cuddling – something quite usual now, but it still boosts my hapiness every time. Very happy little girls at a birthday party, just happy to be together and not because of gifts or so.

feeling: A bit tired today. Feeling good with the weather becoming fresher. Excited about Delight’s Kindergarten Summer Party in July – the theme is “our world”, and Delight’s group prepares something about Africa. So we will cook together African dishes at home, we read stories taking place in Africa, we speak from people we know who were there.
Also feeling excited, as I proposed to the (German) Kindergarten to read once a week stories in French, and the feedback was very positive, so I begin on Tuesday!

wishing/hoping: for a relaxing week-end, with such a good weather as right now!